Ravnica City Streets: Part I
by trequor
Summary: Dinan is of House Dimir, The Unseen. He is caught up in events that could lead to the destruction of interguild tolerance. When the Golgari invade Dimir's system they must call upon all their skills of secrecy and manipulation to keep the guild unseen.OCs
1. Prologue

**WARNING: DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU DO NOT MIND HEARING PARTS OF STORY!**

I am the Night Warden. I wander the streets of Ravnica searching for vengeance. I was a man once, no more for I have become a creature of that labyrinth, the endless stairs, streets and stone. Those who wronged me are to be punished by the highest authority: me, the enforcer of those natural laws such as cause and effect. They put me in a prison, tortured me with magic and drove me mad with test tubes, needles and formula. They are the Simic; rapists of natural life. They are the Dimir; the shadowed corruption. Hidden not from me though; I was one of them, I know their ways. They betrayed me for status and wealth and so I shall make them suffer, as I have suffered for years. Sevenfold, shall they pay for the crimes committed by them. For over a decade I have toiled under training, both body and mind, to prepare myself for the day of judgement. I had to be the best, nothing more could suffice, and so I sought out the Planeswalkers. First I went to Ajani Goldmane, Lord of the White Soldiers, and there I learned his craft. The command of armies and strategies to overcome them, Goldmane taught me much that was useful. I already knew a lot of that craft before I came before him, therefore to defeat House Dimir I would need a different sort of training. Months of meditation and mental training were devoted before I could seek out my second mentor; Garruk Wildspeaker, Lord of the Green Forest. Everything I learned under Ajani was challenged by him; the exercises, the fighting styles, even much of the strategies. Garruk believed fully in survival of the fittest, he would not consent to train me unless I spent one year in the forests of Yavimaya. Stripped of my weapons, clothes and magic, I survived there and learned the natural order. After that, Garruk treated me as equal and I became a predator under his rule. Although the tracking skills and Green Magic was useful, more so was the way of thinking: surviving no matter what. The many years spent living in the natural order and slaying mighty beasts I finally left Garruk, believing myself ready for anything. Foolishly, on my way back through Forest Park, an immense jungle of tangled wild in the middle of State Line, Ravnica, I did battle with an Archmage. Powerful as he was, I defeated him finally using the mentality of Garruk and the memory of countless lessons in my childhood. But so close had I been to death, Fate being the only decider, I fell into despair and became a drunk on the road. Three months like this until I received a savior in the form of Chandra Nalaar;  
Lady of the Flaming Chaos. She taught me the ways of magic unlike how I had learned it, though we had many a disagreement (ending mostly with me burnt), I immerged tested, toiled and ruthlessly taught in every aspect of battle. This is my story.


	2. Into the Mastabu

**My first Magic fanfic. I always loved the thought of guilds vying for power in a huge many-leveled city. The second part is Gruul Clans followed by Golgari Swarm**

Part One: House Dimir

Chapter Uno: Into the Mastabu

Dinan strolled through the alleys of Ravnica's underworld, unpleasant creatures eyed him up from their street corners. Houses and shops long ago burnt down or broken into dotted the shithole that all Gruul Clans inhabited, Dinan confidently made his way in between them: he remembered the directions from his contact well. The Guild That Does Not Exist has been infiltrated by the Golgari. And so, as when all times are tough, House Dimir is calling on the aid of the Mastabu Clan to help them reestablish their place in the other guilds. Dinan knew his guild well; secrecy is key, none can attack that which does not exist, opportunity will always present itself if one is prepared. House Dimir would never destroy another guilds territory, but somehow those that are destroyed seem to always benefit that which does not exist.

Dinan knew the importance of his mission simply because he was the one carrying it out. Dimir nobles did not often do this kind of work. Dinan knew he had to succeed, born as a member of the Dimir family, Dinan had a higher station than most in House Dimir. However even as a cousin to the leading member, Dinan had to earn his way up the ladder to his wanted position: Guildmage. Having a better chance being half-elf, his father trained him early on in the ways of subtle magic.

Dinan arrived at the Mastabu compound, a rotting building with a barbwire fence full of smelly centaurs, ogres and wild men, along with their bloodthirsty Saproling minions. Dinan was stopped at the gate by two ogres wielding war axe and morning star alike.

"Leave now elvish scum, or I feed ye to the jackals," the one on the left grunted.

"I have a proposition from my employer to make for the Mastabu leader," Dinan countered.

"Who is yer 'employer'?" the ogre asked suspiciously.

Dinan raised an eyebrow, "Why he doesn't exist."

"I see, well be off with ye now, me employers busy," he made to shove Dinan roughly, he dodged to the side so that the ogre lent on his morning star for balance, "Why ye great filthy…" He cut off when Dinan, who had forced him to that particular position, revealed the Dimir signet on his belt. The ogres eyes opened wide and he hurried to his feet and told his fellow guards to open the gate.

Dinan smiled inside, the effect was worth it, but very risky, since he had just admitted the existence of House Dimir. Hoping he judged correctly the ogre's intelligence for station. He fellowed the ogre into the stink of Mastabu Clan's 'seat of power'.

"What is the meaning of this interruption? I thought I told you to throw out anyone who wanted to distrurb us!" growled the giant, ferocious centaur leader of the Mastabu. Trembling, the guard who saw the signet shuffled up and whispered in his ear, "All of you, except the kar'i leave now!" There was a loud stomping, shuffling, shouting, grumbling and clopping as most of the creatures (mostly centaur and ogre with a few goblins and wild-men) made their way out the doors.

"Cuncadorma(the ogre guard, who is actually the sergeant of the compound defense) , wait outside the door. Our Gruul Guildmage will cast a spell of silence to all outside this room." Dinan could sense the more familiar green magic manifest into a shield that scrambles the vibrations emerging from the chamber.

Dinan bowed his head to Grunshrm, the leader, "I recognize Mastabu's strength and know they see my own," the proper Gruul greeting for this kind of Clan, "I have a proposition that does not exist, from a non-existent group," some of the ogres looked confused, "House Dimir is calling again on the aid of the Mastabu. The Golgari are becoming troublesome and we would like their market crippled. Do you accept? The payment shall be decided between us."

"Let us vote!" Grunshrm decided. The reason Dimir was so inclined toward this clan was that most of the members were mindless, bloodthirsty killing machines, but the core was intelligent enough to understand the nature of the Dimir operations.

Between the dozen there eight agreed and four not, "Why do you not accept this offer of pillaging for pay?"

"We take orders from no Elf, whether existent or not," said one viciously.

"We need resources more than anything, why if we accept this we could destroy Clan Pedmow," countered Grunshrm. He said the right thing; the one thing the Mastabu hated more than a cancelled fight was their rival Clan, the Pedmow. So Dinan told them which rot farms and warehouses to burn. Then they haggled payment ending with a hundred goat, fifty chickens and a thousand pounds of iron to be payed over the course of a week from House Dimir to Clan Mastabu. Cuncadorma led him to the border of their slum and gave him small sum of gold for a little protection enchantment that worked against mild red spells, Dinan suspected it was for someone else, considering he had probably payed for it with his savings. Dinan sighed and practiced the angelic alphabet in his mind. It would take him well into tonight to make it to the closest safe house.


	3. A Package at Palace Grand

**Here's chapter number two, hope it's up to snuff.**

Chapter Douze: A Package at Palace Grand

Dinan awoke to the faint ray of sunlight creeping through his window. He tossed the keeper a gold shilling and made his way into the foggy streets. It was unusual for sunlight to illuminate this part of the city during the spring months.

He took his time after the omnivator ride to the highlands of the Ravnica. Dinan always enjoyed observing the great towers carved of mountain and sweeping bridges between them. The Simic Combine had returned much of the natural environment to Ravnica in the last few centuries, now behemoth trees grown in the shapes for buildings with towers peeking through their branches. This part of the plane was now beautiful with the waterfalls pouring from trees, the grey stone interlocking with the green, braches made into bridges. About a third of Ravnica was like this, with the oxygen shortage 350 years prior from lack of vegetation, the Simic had been funded by the most prominent guilds. They had done marvelously in Dinan's opinion, growing trees without lack of buildings.

Dinan looked down off the bridge to see water sparkling miles below. He was almost at his contact, the underboss of House Dimir, Khazad Dimir.

He was waiting at the airship pier, on a bench. When Dinan closed in he murmured, "Damn ferrets won't stay put," One of the men stood up and walked down the stairs exactly three seconds after. Dinan discreetly followed him through various arches and staircases until he ducked into a doorway. Dinan ducked right in after him.

"It is done," he said, once they were in the room that was mostly used for black market.

"They have agreed? What is their price?" Khazad asked smoothly.

"One hundred goats, fifty chickens and a thousand pounds of iron," Dinan answered equally smooth.

"Their pricing has gone up! Why did you not haggle lower?" Khazad asked curiously.

Dinan smiled evilly, "Because with said goods they will make waste to Clan Pedmow, known ally of the Golgari and supplier of dead for the rot farms."

"Very clever, my nephew," Khazad said with a like smile, "Perhaps you will make an adequate Guildmage one day."

"Thank you," replied Dinan with a bow of the head.

"However," Khazad continued, "There is another task for you, it will help immensely toward you becoming are seventh Guildmage. The Simic Combine is currently without a spy; your elvish descent will aid you into the Guild. While there you are to learn all you can about blue green growth chambers. We already know much about them, however you must actually learn how to create and use them. You are to ask for an apprenticeship to one of their elvish wizards in three days. Further instruction will be provided a few times a week. First meeting place is in eight days at the Northwest Mountains Pier #134, there will be a goblin with a top hat, and the key word is 'gremlins' answered with a tap on the knee. Report everything and all. Are your instructions clear?"

"Yes," confirmed Dinan, "I must however go back to Palace Grand for a particular artifact."

"An airship leaves today at 2:00 from the pier we came from in that direction. Use it."

"Okay," Dinan answered.

The airship made its way smoothly through the space between skyscrapers and other constructions. Dinan pretended to read off the journal parchment, but in reality listened to two Boros Legionaries discus the destruction of the Golgari warehouses on the third level, it seemed as though the Gruul had given a very hard time considering, in the brief moment Dinan looked at them, Dinan saw that one was missing a foot. He smiled inwardly.

"Palace Grand Docking Station!" one of the crewman yelled, "Palace Grand Docking Station ahead!" The airship slowed to a stop at the end of ivory dock blazon with carvings. Dinan payed the ticketer seventeen gold Florins (you wouldn't imagine flying sailboat rides were cheap) and walked off the deck, across the dock, though the arch, down some stairs and into a storage room. When he finished slipping through the maze of crates and barrels he saw someone he hadn't seen in a while: his sister Katrina Dimir.

They stopped abruptly when Dinan approached and the vampire guard appeared behind him, "Kill him," the black marketer said. Dinan started to explain, but Katrina spoke.

"Don't kill him, he's one of us. Fancy seeing you here, friend." She said to her brother.

"You too, friend," Dinan replied, they were 'old friends' outside of Duskmantle, "Would you be so kind as to finish your business and leave me and Francis to our own."

Katrina looked to Francis and shook her head, "It is private, I will leave you now." She disappeared into the shadows stealthily. As a second-in-command infiltrator, his sister was nearly undetectable in daylight and virtually non-existent in darkness.

"You are here for the anklets, I presume?" said Francis graciously. Dinan nodded, "I have them right here, just a moment," he reached into a barrel with a solid looking top and pulled out a moth eaten cloak, "Encarna, Discondey!" he murmed and flicked it. A pair of well worn silver anklets fell out.

"Marvelous," Dinan said simply, eyeing the faint glimmer of hidden magic only a trained sorcerer would see.

"Forged by Urza himself," said Francis impressively, "Made from pure Mithral silver to hide its properties. It will allow you to levitate using only a sliver of mind power and mana."

"Marvelous," Dinan said again, picking them up and examining them minutely, they were very battered from countless millennium of use, but in perfect condition. He made to clip them on his feet, but his supplier made a grunt in his throat and held out his hand.

"Payment first please," Francis said with an evil smile, "We wouldn't want young Tristan to forget his manners."

Dinan agilely tossed a bag of treasure at his feet, "If any is missing you have my deepest apologies and double pay," He strolled away with his newly acquired valuable. In truth that wasn't two thirds the payment, but Dinan had Francis trusting him. The jewels were fake. He had taken the extra step to ensure Francis trusted Tristan Furnost. And indeed Tristan was very trustworthy scum like Francis, however, Tristan no longer existed. Only Dinan. Tristan was a man he could trust, with this revelation the image Tristan represented would be shattered leaving the manipulative Dimir in its place.


	4. The Simic Combine

**Please review for god's sake! It ain't difficult!**

Chapter Tri: The Simic Infiltrated

_The man, no more than shadow leaped from rooftop to windowsills, down drainpipes in complete silence. His quarry was no more than three levels down about a hundred feet to his left. The trail showed clearly in the hunter's eyes, eyes that saw more than the average elf. He simply dropped down narrowly missing bridges and pipes and arches. Dropped without fear to the scaffolding below, rolling to break his fall with barely a whisper of noise. He saw them greet each other, the prey and the contact. The latter led them inside; pointing with a hiss into the hunted's ears at the scaffolding above. _

_Not taken aback in the slightest, the man swiftly and agilely crossed a series of bars no more than six inches thick. He hung upside-down above an open window, listening._

"_We cannot afford any more delays!" the fat woman-disguise-as-a-man said angrily, "Now, will you do this? Or will you be discharged?"_

_The man who was hunted gulped; being discharged with his level of knowledge meant death in an 'accident' within a week or two._

"_I will do it, but I need help," he pleaded._

"_That can be easily provided, time however cannot. You have but one week,"_

"_Impossible!" the quarry began to protest, but fell silent with a look from the female._

"_Leave. Oh, and I'd get started if I were you, Ravnica can be a large place to search for one man."_

_The hunter followed his prey from above. When he left into the alleys with a drawn sword (very intelligent) the shadow dropped. With only the slight 'omf' he had single handedly captured a very important piece in a guilds operations. _

_He drew a small bottle from his person and dumped it down the throat of a very terrified human._

"_Are you after Alexander Bertoya?" a raspy, throaty voice said from within a dark cowl._

_His quarry choked then said, "Yes"_

"_Is your employer known as the Undertaker?"_

_Another tried lie, but succeeded 'yes'. _

"_Are you an agent of House Dimir?"_

_The fear in those eyes were profound, Dinan recognized them from somewhere. He choked and spluttered for minutes before a small, inescapable 'yes' was brought forth. Voices came from up ahead on a rooftop and light shone down._

"_The Boros are lucky to have cut our chat short, but we will speak again," The same throaty, raspy, voice from within the cowl said. He looked back down to a now illuminated pale face. Dinan would have said aloud if he could, 'Francis!'_

"_Who are you?" Francis said as the figure climbed away._

"_The Night Warden," he replied simply._

Dinan awoke.

He sat up in his small cot on the third floor of a hotel under Dimir's secret control. His head hurt with the questions that arose from the strange dream. It had happened twice before. A dream he could only witness, but not affect. Once during his magical education after a particularly stimulating class and once a few years later, the night after his promotion to ringmaster of his wing. He shook his head. Today was the day, thought he, the day I infiltrate the Simic. He pulled himself in front of a mirror, "I am Rethos Di Angelo," he said with a Spanish-like accent used by a certain tribe of elves. "I am Rethos Di Angelo," he said again. Dinan pulled open the trunk delivered earlier that day. In it was a pair of trousers and a tunic. It also came with a brown cloak. Dinan applied the small bottle off to the side on his hair. It turned blonde and grew rapidly. Dinan grabbed a pair of small scissors and snipped his eyebrows to a certain shape, he rubbed sand paper on his cheeks. He walked around the room, attempting different postures and walks until he found the proper one. Dinan repeated over again, "I am Rethos di Angelo, I come from North Harton. I was raised an orphan by my human uncle… I am name is Rethos di Angelo, I studied at Harton University…"

Gradually he made his posture natural and the accent showed through perfectly, he _was _Rethos di Angelo, the nerve scientist orphan from North Harton. He left the hotel, after tipping the cashier a silver shilling.

He walked most of the way to the Simic Conclave; it was not far from the hotel he left. Along the way he purchased a cheap necklace from a street vendor. He turned into an alley and levitated up to the second floor. Dinan made his way through the crowded balcony and proceeded across a bridge that lead to the Council building where most of the financing and legal issues were spent being resolved. Dinan walked up to it and asked the guards where he could meet his new employer. Letters had already been sent from Duskmantle, fakes, of course, and included were recommendations from the Harton University. The Forgery Department was fluent in most of the magical seals used to verify the legitimacy of documents. At the far desk leading into the employee management section, Dinan was checked over and allowed access to the third room on the right. Once there a surly half-dwarf saw to his becoming of a Simic researcher. Dinan repeated his well-rehearsed lines that were to guaranty his employment. The Dwarf told him he was lucky there was a shortage of nerve scientists or else he would be thrown out. But Dinan could tell he was pleased. The Dwarf told him to arrive at the southern compound at exactly five o' clock.

The next day Dinan reported for his training. Thankfully, during his 15 year course at his old university, Dinan had taken psychology and biology. Still, he had studied most of the night and was slightly tired as the veteran biochemist took him through all of the procedures. This included, but was not limited to; open-up and lock-down tasks, safety policy, magical item policy, equipment management and the code of conduct as far as authority goes.

Dinan was also introduced to his team and in that single moment where they told him about what their jobs were, he knew all about them. There was Kaliko, an elf lady who appeared to have no care what other people thought. There was Terrace; an expert on ecosystems **(pun intended)**, Dinan could see his enthusiasm to share his ideas and to change the world. Also, there was a micro-organism expert also from Harton, his name was Delphy. Delphy was the strong, silent type who preferred to work alone. Lastly; there was Egor; the maintenance fellow who was training to become a mechanic. His job was to carry tools and maintain equipment. And lastly there was Rethos, whom Dinan himself was impersonating, the newest member of an elite team of the Simic Combine, the great minds of biology and evolution. Those first days were always spent reviewing what he knew and adapting his personality to fit the needs of his team.

Not only did he analyze his colleagues, but also his environment. Dinan took special heed to solve security problems in his mind and to think of escape routes and infiltration routes.

**Eternally sorry for the wait, but this will most likely be the most boring chapter ever. But you all should remember it is necessary.**


End file.
